Bath Bombs and Humidity

[kdot]

Need your help on this... My last 3 batches of bath bombs were perfect for about 1 week, then crumbled. However, bombs I made 2+ months ago (when there was no humidity) are still perfect. All are stored in the same room, with a dehumidifier, but humidity is really bad this time of year. Is it true that bombs that were dried with low humidity cure properly and will stay solid? But if the bombs dried with higher humidity, they will crumble?

Do any of you have experience of drying bath bombs in an oven? I read to get the oven to 170 then turn it off and let the bombs sit in it overnight.

The only other thing I can think of is the freshness of the citric acid. It still fizzes, but can it go "stale"?

 

[Dorymae]

I can't really answer all those questions because I simply haven't tried the different ways. I can tell you that in summer in CT where I live it gets really stinkin humid. (Like oppressive heat where you pray for it to rain just so it gets out of the air) I make bath bombs year round, even in humid weather - but as soon as they get rock hard (usually 1-2 days) I wrap them. I haven't had one crumble yet.

So I'm thinking the problem isn't how they are dried but how they are stored.

 

[kdot]

Thanks Dorymae. After 2 days, the bombs are rock hard, and I've been putting them in ziplock bags. Maybe they aren't as air-tight as I wanted to believe. I'll shrink wrap a few and run a test.

 

[MLWade]

I have that same problem. I am in NY; which can be very humid. I have found if I shrink wrap them right away after drying for a day or two I don't have that problem. I learned it by trial and error. I also try to schedule making them around less humid days.

 

[kdot]

I have a new batch of fizzies that are rock hard! This is what I did:
* added 10% Kaolin Clay
* Preheated oven to 170 then shut off. Let fizzies sit in oven for 8 hours
* Set dehumidifier in soap room to 55%. Let fizzies dry, uncovered for 3 days
* Wrap in ziplock bags

<fingers crossed>

 

[mhawk85]

Can storing them in jars help?